The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-19
ASLEEP SEVEN MONTHS.
A Remarkable Case of Catalepsy in an Illinois
Town.

Town.
! Joliet fIII.1 Special.
The case of Mrs Herbert, the cataleptic of
st. Joseph's Hospital, this city, is attracting
very wide attention and appears to baff1e the
| For 219 days she has slept and all the ingenuity
| and skill that has been brought to bear TO bring
| her back to consciousness has been unavailing
| She continues to sleep day after day. and has
| wasted away until she is almost phantom
| Local sprituaists declare her to be in the
trance state and say she will make some aston
| ishing revelations before long. Cranks besiege
the hospital DESTROYS of obtaining Wow of the
famous sleeper, but they are rigidly excluded
Meanwhile the impassive object of their curl
| osity sits in the easy chair provided for her in
the hospital. She rarely moves a muscle. and
should the attendant raise her arm and not re-
place it on her lap it would remain in the exact
position in which it had been placed until again
moved by the doctor or nurse
The sleeper furnished ybody surprise
Yesterday, however. Old Mrs Burns, who
knew Mrs. Herbert before her catalepsy oc-
Cured, occupies the same ward with her, and
yesterday was left alone for a while with the
sleeper Sister Barbara. hearing alarm from
that ward, fastened thither and found Mrs
Burns crouched upon the floor crossing herself
vigorously and in state of great excitement
She told the following story of her experience
''Lord help me, but thought I'd have a fit
whin I saw the lids of her eyes roll up. and she
lookin' at me wild all her might as if she'd look
a hole through me body. Whin she how
bad l was scared she set up lsughin', and thin,
before could get word in edceways, she began
rattle
horse could trot. The sound of her voice
sharp that it gave pain in me ears, and I
shook me hand at her by way of biddin' her to
stop her clatter but she kep right on, lex she
wound up fur month. At last she stopped
long enough to take her breath. and / axed
why il she didn't spake to her chider whin
they came to her tother day. Wud ye be-
lieva it, the mint put that to her she snapped
her eres shut lex two traps. and her jaws wint
together like bang. Divil the word more could
l get out of her"
Dr. Ward the physician who has attended
Mrs. Herbert closely, had a similar experience
with her some time ago. She had then been
asleep three months, but the Doctor was not
even then convinced that she not sham
ming. One day he observed that the pose of
the woman s head indicated that she had been
leaning forward and had quickly Strengthened it
up he entered the room. Her hands
extremely cold and her lips deep purple Her
face was as pallid as death. The Doctor told
touched her shoulder. when she Immediately
stood up. her arms hanging lifeless at her
sides. The Doctor had small footstool placed
in their path, and then snid: Now. Mrs. Her
bert, We will take our morning walk.
st may have been imagination" said the Doc
tor. ''but thought saw the suggestion Of a
smile play about the corners of her mouth
spoke to her However. holding her hand in
mine, I led the way to the center of the room,
where sister Barbara had placed the footstool.
and as we neared it duickened the pace some
what and Mrs. Herbert tripped over it, and
would certainly have fallen had not been there
to catch her. AS she Strengthened herself up
she opened her eyes for a moment only, and
then burst out laughing 1t seemed to be a
hysterical laugh, but she was over it in
moment. and she became ap-
parently as insensbe as ever to
any physical emotion from that day until yester-
day. when she is alleged to have talked at length
to Mrs. Burns. 1t is certainly the case" contin-
ued DIR. Ward, Chat she is now fast asleep
ever. and it is a grave question whether her
next awakening, should the interregnum Of
sloathy be extended to the same period has
been noted in the past, will not be in another
world"
Mrs. Herbers receives only about enough food
daily to sustain life in a bird, the doctors say,
and it is their opinion that she cannot long live
in her present condition.